


turntables

by Vitali (exocara)



Series: After Sochi [1]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Misunderstandings, is this considered a little bit of role reversal or
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-13
Updated: 2017-01-13
Packaged: 2018-09-17 07:19:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9311282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exocara/pseuds/Vitali
Summary: It happens approximately one week after Yuuri’s disastrous performance in Sochi.Viktor Nikiforov@v-nikiforovI wish I could date pretty black haired boys who dance well.“Ooh, the candidates are already flooding in!” Phichit says with an amused grin.“Candidates?” Yuuri asks and Phichit helps Yuuri scroll down to read the replies. Most of them are variants of “date me!” with pictures attached. It’s all very interesting.“You should send one too!” Phichit says and Yuuri doesn’t even bother answering him. “Look, I’ll send one if you send one. It’ll be fun!”--prompt:“you’re a celebrity who just broke up and i tweeted you a selfie with the caption “date me” as a joke but you thought i was serious?” au





	

**Author's Note:**

> also known as Viktor Suffers, the fic

It happens approximately one week after Yuuri’s disastrous performance in Sochi. 

“Oh hey!” Phichit exclaims around the same time a twitter notification shows up on Yuuri’s phone. Yuuri quickly snatches it up. He has notifications set for Viktor’s tweets and  _ only _ Viktor’s tweets, considering that he’s  _ Viktor Nikiforov _ and Yuuri can’t help but want to know every single thing about him.

“It’s rare that you see Viktor Nikiforov tweet about his personal life! I almost thought he didn’t have one,” Phichit jokes. It’s true; Viktor usually tweets about skating, and a little about his dog. He’s nothing like Christophe Giacometti, who tweets every day about what he’s eating and the domestic bliss he shares with his husband, and definitely nothing like Phichit who’s, well, Phichit. 

Yuuri taps on the notification and Viktor’s tweet shows on his screen. 

**Viktor Nikiforov** @v-nikiforov   
I wish I could date pretty black haired boys who dance well. 

That is… very specific yet incredibly vague all at the same time. Is this really going to be Viktor’s first non-skating tweet in months? Then again, Viktor always did love to surprise. Yuuri wants to know what he has planned up his sleeve, what he’s up to this time. 

“Ooh, the candidates are already flooding in!” Phichit says with an amused grin. 

“Candidates?” Yuuri asks and Phichit helps Yuuri scroll down to read the replies. Most of them are variants of “date me!” with pictures attached. It’s all very interesting. 

“You should send one too!” Phichit says and Yuuri doesn’t even bother answering him. “Look, I’ll send one if you send one. It’ll be fun!” 

“I’m not going to talk to Viktor Nikiforov on twitter over some silly joke of his,” Yuuri says. 

“It’s just a tweet,” Phichit whines. “It’s like a meme! You like memes, right, Yuuri? Besides, it’s not like Viktor checks through every single reply he gets -- and I don’t blame him, holy shit it’s only been three minutes and there are  _ at least _ two thousand replies -- so he might not even see your tweet!” 

“Phichit,” Yuuri sighs. “We’re skaters, we’re under scrutiny.” 

“Look, even  _ Georgi Popovich _ did it!” 

“Fine.” Yuuri kind of wants to try it out anyway, out of some masochistic urge to have his idol ignore him once again, like he had in Sochi. “You had better do the same too, alright? I’m not going into this alone.” 

“I will!” 

**Phichit Chulanont** @phichit+chu   
#dateme but more importantly date my friend @katsukiyuuri

**Yuuri Katsuki** @katsukiyuuri   
#dateme :)

“There we go, wasn’t that hard, was it?” Phichit teases. “Great selfie, by the way! Not as great as mine, but I’m proud to call you my disciple.” 

Yuuri rolls his eyes. His nerves fade after five minutes pass and there is no answer from anyone -- although there are quite a few likes and retweets and replies on his selfie -- and he is relieved yet disappointed. 

What else did he expect from the tweet? Viktor didn’t even know that he was a fellow competitor back in Sochi. There’s no chance that he’ll single out a single tweet in a sea of thousands. Absolutely no chance whatsoever. 

-o- 

Except he does. 

“You look like you’re dying,” Phichit comments. Yuuri hands him his phone. Phichit looks at the screen and gasps. 

**Viktor Nikiforov** @v-nikiforov   
_ Shared your Tweet with you. _

**Viktor Nikiforov:** yes please )

“Did, did he reply to you too?” Yuuri asks Phichit. Phichit takes a moment to check his phone. 

“Nope. I’m pretty sure you’re the only one who got a reply.” Phichit rests his chin on his hand. “What are you going to reply with?” 

“Are you kidding me? Why in the world will I reply?” 

“Because it’s only polite, because Viktor is your long-time idol and he’s finally noticed you, because Viktor wants to date you, because you’ve already seen his message and so he knows you’ve read it and you don’t want to deal with the idea of your idol knowing that you ignored him even if that’s what you’re planning on doing,” Phichit listed off. “Pick any one.” 

Yuuri slumps and curls into a ball on his bed. His phone is still in his hands and the screen still shows Viktor’s DM. 

“This is probably just a joke,” Yuuri says. 

“If it’s just a joke, there’s no harm in playing along, right?” Phichit asks. Yuuri hesitates. His phone buzzes. 

**Viktor Nikiforov:** yuuri? 

**Viktor Nikiforov:** yuuri are you there

“Wow, I didn’t peg Viktor to be a triple texter,” Phichit says with a whistle. 

“Phichit, what should I say??” Yuuri hisses under his breath, as if Viktor could hear him from Detroit. 

**Viktor Nikiforov:** i can see you blueticking me (

“Tell him the truth?” Phichit suggests. 

**Yuuri Katsuki:** Sorry, I was just wondering how I should respond. 

**Viktor Nikiforov:** oh okay! 

**Viktor Nikiforov:** you don’t have to think so much! you just have to be your normal charming self! ) 

**Yuuri Katsuki:** Um.

**Yuuri Katsuki:** I think you have the wrong person. 

“Yuuri! How could he have the wrong person? Your name is on the twitter! And he saw your picture!!” 

“He said  _ charming, _ Phichit. I’m not charming at all!” 

**Viktor Nikiforov:** ? 

**Viktor Nikiforov:** this is yuuri katsuki right? 

**Viktor Nikiforov:** top skater in japan

**Viktor Nikiforov:** born on 29 nov, from hasetsu, your parents run an ‘onsen’?

**Viktor Nikiforov:** we met at the sochi gpf! 

**Viktor Nikiforov:** your short program was really good! i loved your step sequences! 

“Yuuri, you’re hyperventilating.” 

-o- 

“Oh, he stopped replying.” Viktor looks down at his phone, at a loss for what to do. “Was it something I said?” 

“Don’t ask me,” Yuri shoots back. “I’m still shocked that your idea even worked at all!” 

“Oh look!” Viktor’s phone suddenly enters Yuri’s line of sight and Yuri almost crosses his eyes trying to focus on what’s written on the screen. “He’s typing again!” 

“Oh my god,” Yuri hears Mila mutter from behind him. “And I thought Georgi was bad.” 

-o- 

**Yuuri Katsuki:** Do you often do this? 

**Viktor Nikiforov:** ?

**Viktor Nikiforov:** do what? 

**Yuuri Katsuki:** Start talking to random people off of twitter. 

Ever since that day, Yuuri and Viktor have been exchanging messages on twitter’s DM feature. Like clockwork, Viktor would send a message at approximately eight in the morning -- which is four in the afternoon in St. Petersburg -- telling Yuuri good morning. Yuuri has grown to expect these messages, looking forward to them when he wakes up every morning. 

**Viktor Nikiforov:** only when they’re cute )))

Yuuri still doesn’t know why Viktor has started talking to him, of all people. Is it because Yuuri is a skater Viktor met at the Grand Prix? Or is it just on a whim? 

Either way, Yuuri doesn’t expect it to last. 

-o- 

**Viktor Nikiforov:** i’m curious, yuuri 

**Viktor Nikiforov:** why don’t you ever message me on my phone? 

**Viktor Nikiforov:** we only talk on twitter

**Viktor Nikiforov:** do you have whatsapp?? 

Yuuri doesn’t understand. How is he supposed to message Viktor’s number when he doesn’t even have it? 

**Yuuri Katsuki:** But I don’t have your number?

Is Yuuri supposed to have Viktor’s number? 

**Viktor Nikiforov:** i thought i gave you my number???? 

Oh god, he  _ is _ supposed to have Viktor’s number. He can’t believe that he misplaced such a valuable thing. 

**Yuuri Katsuki:** I’m sorry, I must have lost it. I am so, so, so sorry. 

**Viktor Nikiforov:** oh

**Viktor Nikiforov:** well that explains many things 

**Viktor Nikiforov:** +7 812 XXX-XX-XXX

**Viktor Nikiforov:** that’s my phone number

**Viktor Nikiforov:** don’t lose it again )))

**Yuuri Katsuki:** I won’t!!! 

-o- 

Once Yuuri gave Viktor his phone number, there was no going back. His conversations with Viktor are interspersed with pictures of Makkachin and calls are added to their daily conversations. Once, Viktor adds him to a group chat of him and his rink mates and Yuuri is treated to a terrifying flood of messages in both Russian and English before he manages to exit the chat. 

Viktor tries again the next day and the group chat is, thankfully, milder. It takes a while but Yuuri gets acquainted with Viktor’s rinkmates, the strong-willed Mila Babicheva, the romantic Georgi Popovich, and the prickly Yuri Plisetsky. 

Yuuri doesn’t mention the meeting he and Yuri shared in the bathroom, and neither does Yuri. 

-o-

“Will you stop messaging Katsuki for one second and actually practice?” Yuri demands. “Yakov looks like he’s going to blow a fuse!” 

“But, but Yuuri just woke up! I need to send him his daily picture of Makkachin!” Viktor whines. Yuri nearly lets a snarl rip from his throat as he skates to the edge of the rink to grab  _ his _ phone. 

**Yuri Plisetsky:** Oi, katsuki!!

**Yuri Plisetsky:** Stop messaging that PAIN IN THE ASS he’s neglecting training!!! 

**Yuuri Katsuki:** He’s training right now? He told me he was on break! 

**Yuuri Katsuki:** Thank you for telling me. 

Seconds later, Viktor’s whine echoes throughout the rink. 

“Yuuri says that he’s disappointed in me!” Viktor sobs. Yuri observes as Viktor tries to send Yuuri a few more messages before eventually giving up and seriously going back to practice. In fact, he practices so seriously that when Yakov tells him what to do, Viktor doesn’t complain. He carries out Yakov’s orders, shocking Yakov into silence. 

“...Vitya,” Yakov says after practice is done. “Are you dying?” 

“Yuuri says that he won’t talk to me unless I listen to my coach and practice,” Viktor sulks. Yakov looks at Yuri with a raised eyebrow. 

“He means the Japanese Yuuri, Yuuri Katsuki,” Yuri clarifies and Yakov’s gaze turns contemplative. 

“That’s Celestino’s boy, right? He was at the Grand Prix Final and the… banquet.” At this, Yakov’s expression turns a little sour. 

“Yes!” Viktor sighs and  _ god, _ anyone can see he is totally, utterly love-struck. “Yuuri Katsuki! Katsuki Yuuri! Yuuri Kat--” 

Yuri throws his phone at Viktor’s face.

-o-

**Viktor Nikiforov:** yuuri

**Viktor Nikiforov:** yuuri!!

**Viktor Nikiforov:** yuuuuuuuuriiiiiii!!!

**Yuuri Katsuki:** Yes, Viktor? 

Yuuri can’t help but smile when he sees Viktor’s messages. His personality clearly shines through them -- whiny, willful, expressive -- and Yuuri loves him for it. 

**Viktor Nikiforov:** i’m super curious

**Viktor Nikiforov:** what was the theme for your skating in the gpf?

Yuuri’s mood dips a little at the mention of the disastrous Grand Prix Final, but he still answers Viktor. 

**Yuuri Katsuki:** It’s longing. Longing and ambition.

**Viktor Nikiforov:** that makes sense! 

**Viktor Nikiforov:** when i saw your short program it looked kinda sad 

Yuuri covers his face with his hands so he can compose himself and not scream in the middle of a quiet library. He still hasn’t gotten used to the fact that his idol has noticed him and  _ watches _ his programs.

**Viktor Nikiforov:** that part’s longing, right? 

**Yuuri Katsuki:** That’s right. The short program is about wanting to reach for something, longing for it, but knowing that you will never be able to have it. 

**Viktor Nikiforov:** your free program’s a lot cheerier

**Viktor Nikiforov:** well, not exactly

**Viktor Nikiforov:** but it’s not as sad. 

Yuuri smiles. 

**Yuuri Katsuki:** You’re right. My free program is actually the ambition part of my theme. It ties into my short program. 

**Yuuri Katsuki:** It’s about reaching for the thing you want, regardless of impossibility. 

What Yuuri doesn’t say is: 

‘It’s about me trying to reach for you.’

-o-

**Viktor Nikiforov:** good morning yuuri! 

**Yuuri Katsuki:** Good afternoon Viktor. 

**Viktor Nikiforov:** where’s my morning kiss, yuuri? 

**Yuuri Katsuki:** It’s afternoon for you, Viktor. 

**Viktor Nikiforov:** ((

Yuuri’s face is carefully wiped off any emotion. Viktor asking for kisses -- even though they’re literally oceans away!! -- is nothing new, despite them always making Yuuri’s heart skip a beat. Yuuri never indulges him, though, despite wanting too. 

**Yuuri Katsuki:** Also, aren’t you supposed to be practicing right now? 

**Viktor Nikiforov:** im on break

**Yuuri Katsuki:** Should I ask Yuri? 

**Viktor Nikiforov:** ((((((

**Viktor Nikiforov:** fiiiine 

**Yuuri Katsuki:** I’ll talk to you when you’re really on break. 

**Yuuri Katsuki:** ガンバ! All the best!

**Viktor Nikiforov:** <3 <3 <3

-o-

**Viktor Nikiforov:** congrats on getting gold at Japanese Nationals!!! 

**Yuuri Katsuki:** Thank you. You’re largely the reason why I managed to do so well. 

**Yuuri Katsuki:** You’ve always been an inspiration for me. Thank you for being in my life. 

Yuuri throws his phone to the side and immediately buries his face in his hands after sending the message. It’s a little bold, especially for him, but he  _ needs _ to let Viktor know how much he impacted Yuuri’s life. 

Yuuri had been in a downwards spiral after the Grand Prix Final but his friendships with Viktor, Viktor’s easy presence, his kind words, his  _ everything, _ pushed Yuuri to be better. To be someone worthy of being Viktor’s friend. To be worthy of standing next to Viktor. 

He would be anything for Viktor, if it meant that Viktor would spend more time with him, if it meant that Viktor’s eyes would be on him. 

It scares Yuuri, sometimes, this greed that he feels. He had thought that being able to message Viktor was enough but he always wants more and more with every little bit that Viktor gives him. More time, more messages, more calls. 

Yuuri knows he can’t have more, because Viktor belongs to the world. Yuuri knows Viktor belongs to ice skating and he can’t take Viktor away from that. Yuuri knows, he  _ knows. _

And yet he still wants. 

Yuuri hates himself. 

-o- 

**Viktor Nikiforov spotted with Ice Dancer Yesfir Mihalov! Could love be blooming off the ice?**

“Yuuri,” Phichit starts hesitantly. Yuuri gives him a curious look, closing the browser tab on his computer. 

“Is something the matter?” Yuuri asks. 

“Are you, okay?” 

“Of course I am! Why wouldn’t I be?” Yuuri opens a document containing one of his assignments. 

“Well, there’s the thing with Viktor and Yesfir…” Yuuri stares at Phichit blankly. “If there’s something bothering you, you can always talk to me, you know that right?” 

“Of course I do. Thank you, Phichit.” Yuuri smiles. And then the smile is immediately replaced with a look of utter annoyance, levelled at the document. “Now if you excuse me, this essay isn’t going to write itself.” 

“Haha, good luck Yuuri!” Phichit exits the room, satisfied with Yuuri’s answer. Yuuri glares at the screen, concentrating on his essay. 

He ignores the ugly jealousy simmering deep in his chest.  Yuuri refuses to be one of those people who monopolized their friend’s time. It’s perfectly okay for Viktor to go out with other people. Viktor Nikiforov isn’t his. There’s no reason for him to feel this way.

Yuuri knows this in his head. If his heart doesn’t, he will just have to make it. 

-o- 

**Yuuri Katsuki:** Hey, I’ll be busy these few weeks with school so I won’t be as active in replying messages. 

Irrationally, Yuuri hopes that Viktor will figure out that Yuuri is lying. That he isn’t feeling well. That Yuuri’s consumed with dark envy and will reassure him that there’s nothing going on between Viktor and Yesfir. 

**Viktor Nikiforov:** awww )

**Viktor Nikiforov:** okay. i’ll just be here. waiting for you to return.

**Viktor Nikiforov:** давай!!!! good luck yuuri!!

**Yuuri Katsuki:** Thank you. 

But of course he doesn’t. 

-o- 

Viktor still messages him good morning, along with pictures of Makkachin, but the other messages are few and far in between and Yuuri can’t help but feel empty. He knows that he only has himself to blame. 

He doesn’t want to let Viktor know about this side of him, this insecurity that literally  _ eats _ him alive. 

He doesn’t want Viktor to see his shortcomings and so he pushes Viktor away. 

-o-

Yuuri is woken up by Phichit instead of the alarm clock. 

“Phichit, what in the world?” he mutters sleepily. “It’s only six.” 

“You need to see this,” Phichit hisses, shoving his phone into Yuuri’s hands. Yuuri squints at the screen and when he manages to discern the words on the screen, he is immediately awake. 

-o- 

“Good morning, Yuuri!” Viktor chirps.

“Viktor,” Yuuri says quietly. 

“How are you this fine day?” 

“Viktor,” Yuuri says again. “Why did you tell the press that we’re dating?” 

-o-

_ “I thought you knew that I was going to do it! Isn’t high time that we told the world about this?”  _

_ “Stop making decisions on your own!”  _

Yuuri doesn’t know how long he hasn’t been talking to Viktor. It might be a few days, a week, a month; whatever it is, it feels like forever. 

Yuuri doesn’t know what his life was like before he started talking to Viktor. 

_ “I didn’t even know we were dating!”  _

_ “How could you not know? It’s obvious!”  _

_ “How  _ **_can_ ** _ I know when you don’t tell me  _ **_anything_ ** _?!” _

Yuuri never expected his relationship with Viktor to last, but he never expected it to end like this. 

Then again, Viktor always surprises him. 

-o- 

Viktor starts sending Yuuri messages. 

Yuuri doesn’t answer. 

-o-

“Oi, how long are you two going to argue?” Yuri’s voice says from the phone. “Viktor’s currently a miserable excuse for a human being. I know it’s his fault for not talking things through with you but he’s really trying his best to reach out to you right now. A proper relationship can’t work without communication, you know.” 

“Well,” Yuuri says bitterly. “Our relationship wasn’t a proper one from the start. Everything’s a joke. I’m just there ‘til Viktor gets bored of me and moves on.” It only makes sense for Yuuri to cut his losses now before he gets in too deep. Before he starts to become unable to live without Viktor. 

Yuri is silent for a very long time before

“What.” When he finally speaks, his voice is carefully controlled. Totally flat and devoid of emotion. “What the  _ fuck.” _ Anger creeps into his voice. “What the  _ absolute fuck  _ are you talking about, Katsuki? You are  _ literally _ the only person is the history of  _ ever _ I’ve seen Viktor want to hold onto. He poured his entire heart and soul into you. He wouldn’t shut the fuck up about life and love and you think--” Yuri scoffed. “How can you just throw him away like that? How can you be so  _ fucking selfish?!” _

“Me? Selfish?” Yuuri feels indignation spring up at Yuri’s words. He’s not being selfish. Being selfish means holding onto Viktor, means continuing this mess of a relationship with him. “Viktor’s the one that decided to pick a random person out from twitter to date! I didn’t even know I was dating him!”

_ “You’re _ the one who posted a tweet with the caption ‘date me’--” 

“I didn’t think he’d actually notice me--” 

“How could he  _ not _ notice you!” Yuri shouts. “You’re all he’s ever talked about since the banquet!” 

“We didn’t even  _ talk _ at the banquet!” Yuuri shouts back. Maybe he’d feel guilty about raising his voice to a fourteen year old, but he doesn’t have those qualms now. 

Yuri makes a shocked noise. “Ex- _ fucking- _ scuse me? You didn’t even talk?” 

“I--” 

“Now listen here fuckass,” Yuri begins, and then he tells Yuuri exactly what happened at the banquet. 

-o-

Viktor wins gold at the European Championships. 

-o- 

**Yuuri Katsuki:** Congratulations on the gold. 

**Viktor Nikiforov:** thank you. 

-o- 

**Viktor Nikiforov:** hey. 

**Viktor Nikiforov:** let’s end this. 

Yuuri breathes in shakily. He had hoped that Viktor would want him around for a longer period of time, but he supposes that he only has himself to blame. 

**Yuuri Katsuki:** Okay. 

-o- 

**Yuri Plisetsky:** Oi. 

**Yuri Plisetsky:** Katsuki. 

**Yuri Plisetsky:** If you were anyone else i’d tell you to go die in hell but 

**Yuri Plisetsky:** Whatever, just 

_ Yuri Plisetsky has sent a video. _

-o- 

It takes a while for Yuuri to work up the courage to look at Yuri’s messages. It takes an even longer time for him to play the video but when he does, he almost drops the phone. 

The video quality is absolutely horrid, taken in the dim light of a closed ice rink and with a shaky hand. The location of the shooting is also incredibly bad, as if the person taking the video did not want to be seen by anyone. 

However, Yuuri still recognises the silver haired man skating in the video, and he  _ definitely  _ recognises what is being skated. 

_ ‘The short program is about wanting to reach for something, longing for it, but knowing that you will never be able to have it.’ _

-o-

Yuuri has no idea what he’s doing here. 

That’s a lie. Yuuri knows  _ exactly _ why he’s here. The question is, why did he allow Phichit to talk him into it? 

Yuuri knows the answer to that question too. 

_ “You need to say something to him,” Phichit tells Yuuri. His eyes are serious, the normally jovial spark in them not present. Yuuri’s head is bowed. He doesn’t want to see Phichit. He doesn’t want to see anyone. He just wants to crawl under his blankets and never talk to another human being for as long as he lives.  _

_ “I don’t know what to say,” Yuuri replies in a soft voice.  _

_ “Just tell him the truth. Tell him how you feel and the reasons behind your actions. I think he deserves that much, at the very least.” _

“He’s in the rink,” Yuri tells him. He had been kind enough to ask his grandfather to bring Yuuri straight from the airport to the rink Viktor normally skated in. 

Yuuri hesitates and that gives Yuri enough time to grab him by the collar and pull him down to Yuri’s eye level. 

“I’ll give you one chance and one chance only,” Yuri says in a low tone. A fourteen year old should not be this terrifying. “If you screw this up, I’ll make sure you regret your entire life.” 

Yuuri gulps and nods. Yuri stares into his eyes for a moment before releasing him, satisfied with whatever he had seen. 

“Go.” 

Yuuri goes. 

-o- 

“I didn’t expect to see you here,” Viktor says. Yuuri looks at the ground. He doesn’t dare look Viktor in the eye. 

“I’m sorry,” Yuuri tells Viktor. “For everything.” 

“Is that all you have to say?” 

“I,” Yuuri takes in a deep breath. He has to tell the truth. He has to open up to Viktor, so that Viktor can meet him where he stands. “I am. In love with you. Still.” 

Viktor says nothing. 

“I’ve always been in love with you but I, I didn’t want you to see my shortcomings so I pushed you away. You seem to think that I’m a good skater, but that’s. That’s not who I am. I’m just a random, replaceable skater with confidence issues and horrible anxiety. I’m possessive and jealous and… And I can’t be who you want me to be. And I didn’t want you to realise that and be disillusioned with who I am. I didn’t want you to leave me so I…”  _ left you first. _

“Yuuri.” Yuuri sees Viktor step closer to him. “I’ve said this from the beginning; you just have to be yourself. You just have to be Yuuri Katsuki.” 

“But--” Yuuri looks up and the words he wants to say immediately fly out of his head because 

“Are you  _ crying?” _ Yuuri asks. 

“Of course I am! The person I love, the person who  _ broke my heart _ is standing in front of me and the wound is still raw! Of course I’m crying!” 

“I’m, sorry.” Yuuri feels his panic rising. “Is there anything I can do to make you feel better? Like a hug, or a, a kiss, or  _ something?” _ he babbles, only half aware of what he’s saying. 

“You don’t have to do anything, Yuuri. I’ve already told you, I just want you to be yourself, I just want you to stay close to me!” Viktor grabs Yuuri’s hands in his. “Do you want to be with me?” 

“I can’t--” 

“Do you want to be with me,” Viktor repeats. Yuuri can’t help but look into his eyes. 

“...I do.” 

“Then have more faith in me, in us, in  _ yourself. _ ” Viktor brings Yuuri’s hands up to his mouth and kisses them. “I love you, Yuuri. You’ve shown me what I’ve been missing my entire life. I don’t think I can live without you, at this point,” he says with a watery smile. 

“Same here,” Yuuri breathes. 

“I know you’re not perfect. I’m not perfect either. I’m forgetful, I assume things, I don’t talk to people about plans when I should.” Viktor gives a rueful smile. “And I’m absolutely horrible at picking up other people’s emotions. Knowing all this, do you still want to be with me?” 

“Yes, of course!” Yuuri is offended that Viktor would even think otherwise. 

“Why?”

“Because I love you!” 

“It’s the same for me,” Viktor says. Yuuri is silent. 

“It’ll be hard,” Yuuri says after a while. 

“I know.” 

“I’m a very difficult person to be around.” 

“Debatable, but I still want to be by your side.” 

“We won’t be able to meet up much, being skaters from different countries.” 

“We’ll work it out.” 

“I’m a very jealous person.” 

“And I’m a very clingy one.” 

Yuuri laughs. “Are you, are you really serious about this?” he asks. Viktor nods. 

“The most serious I’ve ever been outside of skating.” 

“Then… I’ll try my best.” 

“That’s all I could ever wish for.” 

-o- 

“So,” Viktor says after a relatively long hugging session outside the skating rink. “Is the offer still open?” 

“Hmm?” Yuuri blinks sleepily. “What offer?” 

“You asked if a kiss would make me feel better,” Viktor tells him and Yuuri’s face turns red. 

“I… did,” he says carefully. He looks up at Viktor and sees that his eyes are glittering. 

“A kiss would definitely make me feel better,” Viktor says and Yuuri laughs, looping an arm around Viktor’s neck to pull him into a kiss. 

-o- 

At Worlds, a reporter asks Yuuri, “Are the rumors true? Are you and Viktor Nikiforov actually dating?” 

Yuuri catches Viktor’s eye from across the hall and waves. Viktor blows him a kiss, making him smile. 

“Yes,” Yuuri answers the reporter. “We’re dating.” 

 

**Author's Note:**

> one day i will give a title that isn't a meme to the things i write but today is not that day.


End file.
